Improvement in washing-machines



as. CAD? & J. W. WOLFE- WASHING-MAGHINE. 7 Nu. 193,480. Patented July24,1877.

,fiereiziars J UNITED STATES V EPHRAIM O. OADY AND JAMES W. WOLFE, OFvJOHNSTOWN, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN Asl-ll 'mli H i r.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 193,480, dated July 24,187 7 application filed I May 28, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EPHRAIM G. GADY andJAMES W. WOLFE, of Jobnstown, in the county of Licking andState of Ohio,have ininner surface having formed within it a series of cells. Securedto the upper surface of this presser or pounder is a vertical shaft,

into which are formed a series of perforations, and on the top of whichis fitted a removable counter-weight, in combination with a wash-tub, toone side of which is hinged a fulcrum with adjusting perforations,towhich is pivoted an operating-lever, which is also pivoted to thevertical shaft of the presser or pounder.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of ourimproved clothes-washer. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of same, and Fig.3 an under side view of the pounder or presser.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

The purpose of this invention is to produce a machine for washingclothes that shall be simple in its manipulation, and without muchtrouble adjusted to any ordinary washtub.

To this end we construct a device, A, which may be of any desired sizeand material, and which is of the form of an inverted pan, the innersurface of which is divided into a series of cells, a. Centrally, and tothe upper and outer surface of this presser or pounder is fixed avertical shaft, B, with perforations b formed in it, and its upper endis provided with an adjustable counter-weight, c.

To the side of an ordinary washing-tub, C, may be secured in anydesirable manner, by clamps or otherwise, a device, (1, to which ispivoted a fulcrum, D, with a series of perforations, 6, formed therein.Secured at one of its ends to this fulcrum D, by a key,f, is anoperating-lever, E, through a slot in which passes the vertical shaft ofthe presser B, the.

operating-lever being connected to the vertical shaft by a key, g. Y

Now, our washing device, constructed as we have described it, isoperated by placing the soap and water in the tub O, the clothes beingplaced therein, and the operating-lever E worked up and down, as inpumping, and at the same time moved so as to come in contact with theentire surface of the clothes within the tub. This motion causes thepresser A with its divisions, which form the cells a, to compress thesurface of the clothes, forcing the soap and water through the fabricsrepeatedly, and in this way freeing them from-dirt.

The extent of the throw or motion of the presser may be regulated byadjusting the end of the operating-lever to different heights on thefulcrum D, by means of the perforations 6 therein, and also to diiferentheights on the vertical shaft B, by means of its perforations, theadjustment being facilitated by the keys f and g, which keys areprovided with a ward, h, at their end, so that when they pass throughthe perforations in the opcrating-lever, and also in the fulcrum andvertical shaft, they may be turned slightly, so as to bring the ward itout of coincidence with its corresponding perforation. In this way thekeys will maintain their position without working loose.

To insure the presser A coming in contact with the clothes, with itsunder surface parallel at all times with the bottom of the tub, acounter-weight, 0, is fitted to the upper end of the vertical shaft B,which, acting as a connterpoise, maintains the vertical position of theshaft under every possible position of the operating-lever. Thiscounter-weight is removable, so as to admit of the vertical shaft Bpassing into the slot formed in the operating-lever E for that purpose.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

A clothes-washer, consisting of a hollow inverted presser, the innersurface of which is divided into cells by partitions, and its uppersurface having a vertical shaft affixed thereto, which shaft hasperforations for the purposes of adjustment, and a removablecounter-weight fitted to its upper end, in combination with anoperating-lever and fulcrum, the fulcrum also having adjustingperforations, and being hinged to the side of the tub, substantially asand for the purpose described.

EPHRAIM O. OADY. JAMES W. WOLFE.

Witnesses D. K. TROWBRIDGE, E. A. BELL.

